Thanksgiving Day Hunting

Thanksgiving day this year was once again a fantastic day out hunting here in Pennsylvania. The Cheshire Hounds Thanksgiving Day Fox Hunt has become a favorite day on my yearly calendar. This year I anticipated a challenging day of jumping, so I came well mounted. I pulled out the seasoned 4-star campaigner and veteran field hunter, Remington XXV to tackle the famous Cheshire country.

Gretchen Wintersteen (left) with Boyd on Remi

Since competing Remi at Boekelo in the Netherlands in late October, he had a few weeks off, then came back in to gentle work. I hunted him alongside his owners, Ron and Densey Juvonen, once a week in the second and third field for him to get the understanding of hunting again during the past month.

We had a fantastic day out, where we got to gallop and jump along with all sorts of members of the community. There were famous huntsmen, jockeys, racing trainers, land owners, businessmen and women and equine enthusiasts among the riders. Legendary race trainer Michael Dickerson chose to join the hunt on foot, a number of times overtaking me with lightning speed!

I have a new level of appreciation and respect for Stuart Malone, who took an almighty crash at a three-railer. I was expecting the hunt to call in the Medics, but Stuart chose to walk it off, re-mounting and continuing the hunt. Gladiatorial stuff!

I spent the majority of the hunt just off the pace, enjoying the action with some friends in the beautiful weather. I stayed with a fun group of riders including Katie Walker and her son Harry, (Brewster's owners), Dave Leinhauser,(fox hunter genius trainer of all time), Neville Bardos Syndicate members Ron & Densey Juvonen, Gretchen Wintersteen, race rider and former Cheshire Whip Nial Malloy and Unionville super vet Peter Blauner.

Silva watching the hounds in action

Without doubt, we are very lucky to have such wonderful open country in this area: a fantastic way to spend Thanksgiving day.

-Boyd

Meet Windurra's Newest Member: Erin Lehman

We are very happy to announce the newest member of our team, Erin Lehman! Erin is from Ames, IA and will be joining Boyd's crew in Aiken, SC for the three-month winter season.

Erin has an impressive background including extensive experience in Pony Club, a position as a working student for Susan Harris and a riding education with John Staples. She is currently a Senior in high school and will be graduating early, this December, to begin working towards her riding and horse management goals. She hopes to pursue a career in the horse industry, riding event horses and coaching event riders. She has demonstrated a strong work ethic and a desire to learn.

Her horse, Super Fly, will also be joining us in Aiken. Erin and Super Fly have been together for a year and have just successfully completed their third preliminary horse trials together. Erin's riding goals for 2012 include completing a one star and competing at the intermediate level by the end of the year. She also hopes to achieve her HB and B Pony Club ratings during the coming spring or summer.

We are excited to have such a dedicated, enthusiastic, and ambitious new team member joining us in Aiken this winter! Congratulations, and welcome, Erin!

-Lindsey Taylor

Note from blog administrator: Erin is a teenage girl. Considering the tone of previous comments, please think before posting and keep your comments respectful. -AMH

Silva and Aesthete Named to USEF Developing List

Silva and "Stately"
Photo courtesy Cindy Lawler

Congratulations to Silva and Aesthete, the 6-year-old gelding owned by Faye Woolf, on being named to the USEF Developing Horse/Rider List with an average score of 8.72 (Young Horse Division).

For the complete list please click here

Position Available: Working Student for Boyd Martin

The Farm in Aiken

Want to spend the winter in Aiken, South Carolina
in the heart of the high-performance eventing scene?
Boyd has an opening for a working student!

This is a temporary position, beginning January 1, 2012 and ending March 25, 2012, with the possibility of an extension for the right individual. The ideal candidate for must be enthusiastic about working extremely long hours, six to seven days per week. The work is hard, and consists of stall cleaning, grooming horses, tacking and untacking horses, and general barn and farm clean-up. However, the hardworking individual will have unlimited opportunities for learning horsemanship and riding of the highest quality from Boyd and his crew.

Boyd trains out of Ilene Boorman's beautiful farm in Aiken, SC, which is part of the prestigious Bridle Creek equestrian development. The farm provides the perfect setting for intense training of horse and rider by boasting amenities such as a brand new jump field, a large riding ring with excellent footing for flat work and nearby cross-country schooling obstacles. The barn is gorgeous and the spacious turn-out fields are second to none. The surrounding development has endless trails for hacking and fitness work.

Barn Interior

The candidate for this position may bring one or two horses at a cost of $35 per day, per horse. Shared housing is available at an affordable cost.

In exchange for hard work, the working student will receive training in the form of dressage lessons from Caitlin Silliman and Boyd Martin and jumping lessons from Boyd Martin. The candidate will also gain valuable knowledge about the highest levels of horsemanship by working day-to-day alongside Boyd and his staff in the barn.

Interested individuals should contact Lindsey Taylor at lindseyktaylor@yahoo.com. Please send a resume or description of previous work and/or riding experience.

Boyd has Three Horses on the USEF High Performance Training Lists

The USEF Eventing High Performance Training Lists have been revised for the upcoming 2012 season and Boyd is thrilled to own half the A list, with Otis and Neville, and to be part of the B list with Ying Yang Yo.

I spoke with Boyd this morning and all of the upper-level horses are currently back in work, and Remington will be getting back to his roots when he joins the Cheshire Fox Hounds in Unionville, PA for their Thanksgiving Hunt this week. Eventing fans fear not, however: Remi and his talented stable buddy Cold Harbor will both be back in action with the listed horses to show the eventing world what they've got in 2012.

Regarding the training list, according to the USEF, "Athlete/Horse combinations will be invited to participate in training sessions this winter with U.S. Chef d'Equipe and Technical Advisor Capt. Mark Phillips. Preparation for and success at the 2012 Olympic Games were the Eventing Selectors and the High Performance Committee's highest priorities in developing these lists."

A List

Phillip Dutton (West Grove, PA) and Bruce Duchossois' Mighty Nice
Mighty Nice is a 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding

Sinead Halpin (Oldwick, NJ) and Carriag LLC's Manoir de Carnville
Manoir de Carnville is an 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding

Boyd Martin (West Grove, PA) and the Neville Bardos Syndicate's Neville Bardos
Neville Bardos is a 12-year-old Australian Thoroughbred gelding

Boyd Martin (West Grove, PA) and the Otis Barbotiere Syndicate's Otis Barbotiere
Otis Barbotiere is a 9-year-old Selle Francais gelding

B List
Hannah Sue Burnett (The Plains, VA) and Jacqueline Mars' Harbour Pilot
Harbour Pilot is an 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding

Jan Byyny (Purcellville, VA) and her own and Jo and Richard Byyny's Inmidair
Inmidair is a 12-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred gelding

Will Coleman (Gordonsville, VA) and Jim Wildasin's Twizzel
Twizzel is a 15-year-old Westphalian gelding

Tiana Coudray (Ojai, CA) and Jatial Inc.'s Ringwood Magister
Ringwood Magister is a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding

Buck Davidson (Ocala, FL) and Sharon Will's Absolute Liberty
Absolute Liberty an 8-year-old Thoroughbred x Oldenburg Mare

Buck Davidson (Ocala, FL) and Carl and Cassandra Segal's BallyNoe Castle RM
BallyNoe Castle RM is an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding

Buck Davidson (Ocala, FL) and Sherrie Martin's The Apprentice
The Apprentice is a 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding

Phillip Dutton (West Grove, PA) and Nina and Tim Gardner's William Penn
William Penn is a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding

Phillip Dutton (West Grove, PA) and Team Rebecca LLC's Ben
Ben is a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding

Will Faudree (Hoffman, NC) and Jennifer Mosing's Pawlow
Pawlow is a 12-year-old Irish Thoroughbred gelding

Will Faudree (Hoffman, NC) and Jennifer Mosing's Fernhill Gloster Rebel
Fernhill Gloster Rebel is a 10-year-old Irish Thoroughbred Gelding

Becky Holder (Palmetto, GA) and Melissa and Phil Town, and Tom Holder's Can't Fire Me
Can't Fire Me is a 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding

Shannon Lilley (Gilroy, CA) and The Lilley Group's Ballingowan Pizazz
Ballingowan Pizazz is an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding

Marilyn Little-Meredith (Frederick, MD) and Raylyn Farm Inc.'s RF Rovano Rex
RF Rovano Rex is a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding

Boyd Martin (West Grove, PA) and Boyd Martin and Faye Woolfe's Ying Yang Yo
Ying Yang Yo is a 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding

Clark Montgomery (Fairburn, GA) and Holly Becker, Kathryn Kraft and Jessica Montgomery's Loughan Glen
Loughan Glen is an 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding

Karen O'Connor (The Plains, VA) and The O'Connor Equestrian Syndicate's Mr Medicott
Mr Medicott is a 12-year-old Irish Sport horse gelding

Julian Stiller (Thatcham, Berkshire UK) and her own and Jules Delvecchio's Chapel Amble
Chapel Amble is a 14-year-old Hanoverian mare

Jolie Wentworth (Martinez, CA) and Tracy Bowman's Good Knight
Good Knight is a 9-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding

It is anticipated that training sessions will be held in California, Florida, and South Carolina; dates will be finalized and published in December. Training sessions will be open to the public. Auditors are welcome and asked to please be respectful of lessons and the property on which they will be held.

Boyd and Silva will be heading to Aiken, SC in January, 2012 to train and compete on the winter eventing and dressage circuits, respectively.

-AMH